State: Doctor Prescribed Irsay Painkillers For No Medical Purpose

9:35 AM, Feb 23, 2006

Call 6's Rafael Sanchez examines the state's allegations that people illegally provided prescription painkillers to the owner of the Indianapolis Colts.

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In a case against people accused of illegally providing painkillers to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, the state alleges that an Indianapolis plastic surgeon prescribed hydrocodone to Irsay for no medical purpose, Call 6 for Help's Rafael Sanchez reported Thursday.

Sanchez reported earlier in the week that the state made allegations against Dr. William Gregory Chernoff and three pharmacists in connection with Irsay's ability to obtain prescription painkillers -- drugs on which, in 2002, Irsay publicly admitted a past dependency. On Thursday, Sanchez reported details of the allegations.

According to documents obtained by 6News, the state says it has evidence that Chernoff provided painkiller prescriptions to a patient after Chernoff learned of the patient's addiction to the drugs.

The documents also allege that Chernoff discussed the patient's medical history with other people without the patient's approval, an apparent violation of federal privacy laws.

The documents do not identify the patient, but sources told 6News that the patient is Irsay. 6News did not identify the sources.

The state claims that three Nora Apothecary pharmacists -- owner Charles Alan Lindstrom, Daria Crawford and Deborah Derolf -- filled Irsay's painkiller prescriptions, and that Lindstrom agreed to cooperate with Chernoff on a 10-week detoxification plan to wean Irsay off the drugs, Sanchez reported.

The state alleges that the pharmacists filled numerous prescriptions even after Irsay relapsed during the program, and that the pharmacy gave Irsay a narcotic without a written doctor's order at least once, Sanchez reported.

Frances Kelly, of the state Professional Licensing Agency, declined to talk about the allegations but did recite rules that pharmacists are expected to follow.

"If a pharmacist knows that a prescription has been altered, forged or is not valid, they have a responsibility not to fill the prescription," Kelly said.

Attorney General Steve Carter said he was aware of the cases, but he declined to talk specifics.

Allegations against Chernoff will be heard by the Indiana Medical Licensing Board, and the allegations against the pharmacists will be heard by the Indiana Pharmacy Board. No hearing dates have been set.